DRNOVSEK ADAMANT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT

LJUBLJANA, July 12 (Hina) - Slovene Premier Janez Drnovsek on Friday stated that he did not intend to abstain from running for the country's president, and dismissed criticisms that his plans were destabilising the government and Slovenia's aspirations to join NATO and the European Union. #L# "The government is doing what it should and my plans have not caused any damage," Drnovsek said at a press conference. Drnovsek added that he would officially apply for candidacy on time, a month before the presidential election, to be held on November 10. Anton Rop, currently the Finance Minister and vice- president of the Liberal Democrats (LDS), would succeed Drnovsek as Slovenia's premier. Drnovsek said that the process of Slovenia's integration into the EU and NATO had advanced so much that any possible changes in the country's leadership could not disturb those processes. He did not exclude the possibility that if he were defeated at the election he could withdraw from politics, but he did not confirm such speculation either. Slovene analysts believe Drnovsek stands the best chance of winning the November election, because he has been the prime minister for many years and is the author of Slovenia's "success story" on the international scene. However, they also say that the outcome of the vote also depends on whether his rivals, primarily a former central bank governor, France Arhar, and a former state prosecutor, Barbara Brezigar, would resort to a smear campaign, using some details from his political career that could bring his charisma into question. This primarily refers to high government spending and some not so successful economic results in recent years and a criticism by the Left that Drnovsek is selling off the country's sovereignty and economic interests and that his neo-liberalism has degraded social stability which took years to establish. (hina) sp rml